Milk-can



(No Mrodel.)

E. A. KABSTNBR.

Y MILK GAN. No. 458,462. Patented Aug. 25, 1891.l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST A. KAESTNER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MILK-CAN.

'SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,462, dated August 25, 1891.

Application led May 8, 1891. Serial No. 391,995. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ERNEST A. KAEsTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have in-v vented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk-Cans; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the art to'whieh it appertains to make and use the same. Y

This invention has relation to au improvement in milk-cans and like articles; and it has for its main object to provide an automatic or selflocking top, which may be applied to cans such as at present in use or placed on cans of new manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with such a fastening, a cheap and eflicient means of ventilation, the parts being so constructed and arranged for joint operation as to prevent any possibility of the cover or top flying from the can by rough or careless handling, as well as preventing the waste of any milk should the can be thrown over or upset.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure lis a side elevation of the upper portion of a can with the cover in position and my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is'a diametrical vertical sectional view of the saine; and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken at the point indicated by the dotted line on Fig. 2.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indieates the neck of a milk-can, which may be of any ordinary or approved form. This neck is provided in one of its outer sides with a groove or recess a. This groove, which is formed by dropping or depressing the material inwardly in a vertical position, forms a correspondingly-shaped rib h on the inner side of the neck, for a purpose Which will be presently explained.

B indicates a catch, which may be formed of brass, spring-steel wire, or other suitable material. This catch is secured at its lower end in the lower end of the groove or recess d by solder or otherwise, and its opposite or upper end is provided with a short angular or inwardly-directed branch c, which passes through a hole (l at the upper end of the groove d and through a hole e in the depending ange or skirt C of the cover. It will be observed that the normal position of the catch or fastener B is seated inthe groove or recess greater than the rib or projection in the neck.

This groovefin the cover is designed to receive the rib on the inner side of the neck, and is provided at or near its upper end with a transverse hole e, designed to coincide with the hole (l in the neck to receive the upper end c of the spring-catch B. The hole e in the cover is closed from communication with the interior thereof by a plate D, which is so arranged around said hole on the inner side of the cover as to form an intel-space or chamber 7L.

E indicates a hole in the roof of the cover, which is placed at a point Within the chamber 7L, so as to form a communication between the chamber and the open air. It will thus be seen that the depending flange of the cover has a hole which enters the chamber h, and that the top of said chamber also has a hole, so that when the top or cover has been inserted in the neck a certain amount of air in the can, which would be caused by a rapid placement of the cover to force up milk, will be exhausted from the can by passing through the hole e into the chamber 7L, and thence out through the hole E in the top thereof.

F indicates a stop or guard for the catch or fastener B. This stop bridges the groove a of the neck and also the fastener B at a suitable point from its upper end. Said guard or stop is soldered or otherwise secured tothe neck of the can and is provided at opposite ends with branches z', which are designed to serve the additional function of bearings for an implement which may be used to prize or disengage the fastener from the hole in the dependingilange of the cover, as the continual operation of lifting out the catch or fastener lOO` from the hole in the cover-liange Will havea tendency to injure the neck of the can at that point.

The top is provided with an overhanging marginal flange G, which is designed to receive Within it the neck of the can, as shown, and also an interposed gasket, which may be made of rubber or other suitable material. By the employment of this overhanging flange and the gasket therein it is obvious that a very tight joint will be effected between the upper edge of the neck and the cover and all liability of spilling or wasting of milk prevented.

To place the top or cover upon a can provided with my improvements, it is simply necessary to bring the groove in the flange of the cover over the branch c of the fastener in the neck, when by plunging the former down to its seat the catch will spring into the hole e of the cover and securely hold it in position. To remove the top,it is simply necessary to insert any pointed implement, which in some cases might be a knife-blade, under the catch, so as to bring its branch c out of the hole in the cover-flange, when said cover may be easily removed.

Vhile I have described minutely the construction here shown, yet it is obvious that changes in the shape and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is also obvious that my improvements may be applied to devices besides milk-cans.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A can or vessel top having a vertical groove in its depending iange and a hole in the upper end of said groove, and also having a chamber surrounding said hole on the inner side thereof and an opening in the top of the chamber,in combination with a can or vessel having a vertical groove in the outer side of lits neck and a corresponding rib on the inner side and also having the hole in the upper end ot' the groove, and a spring-*catch secured in the lower end of the groove and its upper angular end adapted to enter the hole in both the neckand cover,substantially as specified.

2. AThe combination, with a milk-can having a transverse hole in its neck, of a catch xedly connected at one end to the neck and having an inwardly-directed branch movable in said hole, and a top or cover having a vertical groove in its depending flange and also having' a hole in the upper end of the groove to receive the catch, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a milk-can having a vertical groove in the outer side of its neck and a hole in the upper end of said groove, of a spring-catch having its upper end directed inwardly through said hole and its opposite end secured in the groove, the guard arranged over the groove and catch and having the bearing branches, and a cover having a groove in its depending flange and a hole in the upper end of said groove to receive the catch, substantially as specified.

4. A can or vessel top having a vertical groove in its depending flange and a hole in the upper end of said groove,in combination with a can or vessel having a vertical groove in the outer side of its neck and a hole in the upper end of said groove, and a spring-catch having its upper end directed inwardly through said hole and its opposite end fixedly secured in the groove, substantially as specitied.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST A. KAESTNER.

Witnesses:

HENRY KLEEs, S. A. MORSE. 

